Hexagram 19 of 64 · King Wen order
臨Approach
Lín · ䷒ · above: Earth ☷ 坤 Kūn · below: Lake ☱ 兌 Duì
A time of promising growth and nearing success, but with a warning to prepare for the eventual turn of the cycle.A one-line gloss written for this site (AI-assisted). Everything below it is the classical text.
The Judgment 卦辭
元，亨，利，貞。至于八月有凶。
Lin indicates that under the conditions supposed in it there will be great progress and success, while it will be advantageous to be firmly correct. In the eighth month there will be evil.
James Legge, The Yî King (1882), the Text. Words in (parentheses) are Legge's own additions.
Commentary on the Judgment 彖傳 (Tuan, the first Wing)
1. In Lin (we see) the strong (lines) gradually increasing and advancing.
2. (The lower trigram is the symbol of) being pleased, and (the upper of) being compliant. The strong (line) is in the central position, and is properly responded to.
3. 'There is great progress and success, along with firm correctness:'—this is the way of Heaven.
4. 'In the eighth month there will be evil:'—(the advancing power) will decay after no long time.
The Image 象
澤上有地，臨；君子以教思無窮，容保民無疆。
(The trigram for) the waters of a marsh and that for the earth above it form Lin. The superior man, in accordance with this, has his purposes of instruction that are inexhaustible, and nourishes and supports the people without limit.
Legge's Great Image (Appendix II). The Chinese above also carries the Small Images of the six lines.
The six lines 爻辭
Read from the bottom (line 1) to the top (line 6). Each line: the Chinese, Legge's translation, and the Small Image commentary on it.
Line 1 初九
The first line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
咸臨，貞吉。
The first NINE, undivided, shows its subject advancing in company (with the subject of the second line). Through his firm correctness there will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'The good fortune through the firm correctness of (the subject of the first line) advancing in company (with the subject of the second)' is due to his will being set on doing what is right.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 7, The Army.
Line 2 九二
The second line from the bottom, yang (solid, nine)
咸臨，吉無不利。
The second NINE, undivided, shows its subject advancing in company (with the subject of the first line). There will be good fortune; advancing will be in every way advantageous.
Small Image: 'The good fortune and every possible advantage attending the advance (of the subject of the second line), in company (with the subject of the first),' arises from the fact that those (to whom the advance is made) are not yet obedient to the ordinances (of Heaven).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 24, Return.
Line 3 六三
The third line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
甘臨，無攸利。既憂之，無咎。
The third SIX, divided, shows one well pleased (indeed) to advance, (but whose action) will be in no way advantageous. If he become anxious about it (however), there will be no error.
Small Image: 'He (shows himself) well pleased to advance:'—his position is not that appropriate to him. 'If he become anxious, however, about his action,' his error will not be continued.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 11, Peace.
Line 4 六四
The fourth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
至臨，無咎。
The fourth SIX, divided, shows one advancing in the highest mode. There will be no error.
Small Image: 'The freedom from error consequent on the advance in the highest mode' is due to the (various) appropriateness of the position.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 54, The Marrying Maiden.
Line 5 六五
The fifth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
知臨，大君之宜，吉。
The fifth SIX, divided, shows the advance of wisdom, such as befits the great ruler. There will be good fortune.
Small Image: 'What befits the great ruler' means the pursuing the course of the due mean.
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 60, Limitation.
Line 6 上六
The sixth line from the bottom, yin (broken, six)
敦臨，吉無咎。
The sixth SIX, divided, shows the advance of honesty and generosity. There will be good fortune, and no error.
Small Image: 'The good fortune consequent on the advance of honesty and generosity' is due to the will (of the subject of the line) being set on the subjects of (the first two lines of) the inner (trigram).
If this line changes, it becomes Hexagram 41, Decrease.
Related hexagrams
lines 2-4 below, 3-5 aboveOpposite 錯卦33. Retreat 遯
every line changedInverse 綜卦20. Contemplation 觀
turned upside down
A hexagram is a mirror, not a command: read it to reflect, never to obey. Sources: James Legge (tr.), The Yî King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XVI (Oxford, 1882; 2nd ed. 1899), public domain; the Chinese text from Project Gutenberg ebook #25501 (易經), public domain. The trigram facts and the related hexagrams are computed from the line pattern. The gloss, selection and arrangement are CC-BY-SA-4.0 (PlayfulProcess). Data: github.com/PlayfulProcess/recursive-iching.